Looking at the goofy banner on this blog and the reasons behind naming CDB, it is apparent that for 2003, I did lots of bloggin’, plenty of doggin’ (complaining about everything), but very little coggin’
So this month, I am back in the mountain bike saddle, riding 11 miles to work 2-3 times per week. A few years back, when I had more energy (and we had only one family car), I rode every day. Bicycling is some of the best thinking time of the day, a 45 minute slot of time to reflect and enjoy some desert scenery in the middle of Phoenix (see the 1997 vintage virtual bike ride site).
So the cog action is back. Today, passing through a section of Papago Park reminded me of a classic story about great designs that fall short. In 1994, Papago park was a prison for German POWs, and a group of them planned a daring escape by tunneling more tan 130 feet underground to a canal, secretly crafting a canoe, in the hopes of floating down the Salt River, to the GIla River, and on into Mexico.
Small problem- those nice blue lines for rivers on the Arizona maps represent rivers that, well many times of year on the Salt River, are bone dry. Imagine the surprise at getting to that river bed after a daring tunnel escape, and seeing no water to float the boat. Most of the prisoners were so dejected they could not even run farther, and all were quickly caught. Some say it was the largest POW escape in the US.
There is some parallel there for technology design, I am sure. There is nothing really arounf to mark this history- it is now part ball fields and part National Guard base.
Anyhow, I digress. Spending some time with your brain and body engaged in physical activity is very liberating. I am recharged!
Now I cog, dog, and blog. Woohoo.
